The Playful
by Omicron the IceQueen
Summary: Gift Story: Ironhide would dare anyone to interrupt, or attempt to. Not even Prime could drag him away from this night. It was so rare to have light moments like these with a soft spark climbing on his frame once again.


Queen's note: pffftt... x-de-con-struct-ed-x asked for Movie Ironhide cute, and it turned into this thing. So have a bunch of my headcannons and ideas. And the best space granspa with his adopted family.

Prepare to die.

[of FEELS and CUTE]

 **The Playful**

Ironhide gave a snort as he felt the sparkling sized form scrambling at his side. The older mech leveled a look over at his adult charges, and as Lennox gave a shrug before sitting with his wife, the mech squinted at them, snorting again. Oh he knew full well that organic had sent his sparkling over to the mech, in order to get canoodling time.

He would not admit to the fact he did not mind, even as the black colored mech reached down. There was a squeak that was quickly muffled as large fingers came close. Ironhide shifting slightly to his left and carefully felt around his right side before there was another squeak and he closed his hand around the small one.

"Little scraplet." Ironhide growled as he felt more then saw his sparkling charge trying to wiggle free and get behind him. "Stop that or I'll eat ya. Ya're still bite sized, and not likely to get bigger soon."

It said something that there was no response to the threat from the two adults, other than matching snorts from them. Though there was a sudden mock scream behind the mech, a giggle and call to be saved as small hands batted at the mechs fingers. Ironhide could not help the chuckle that rumbled out as he got a better hold, twitching the small form from his fingertips into his palm. Safe from hurting little limbs, Ironhide pulled the little human girl around to his front. The Autobot venting as he settled back down in a comfortable slouch against the reinforced barn.

"Hmmm... I found something Lennox." Ironhide rumbled as he used his free hand to come up and poked a finger lightly between the others. "Looks soft an' tiny. It ya'rs?"

"Soft and tiny?" Will called over from the porch, grinning in the darkening evening, "Probably not."

"Daaad!" Annabelle protested as she squirmed getting one arm free, but the whining attempt was interrupted by her own giggling. "Save me!"

"So it's an intruder?" Ironhide asked, snorting as he loosened his hold for a moment and deftly scooped the girl into his other hand a few moments later. He was exceedingly gentle, maybe surprising to anyone not expecting it from the gruff Autobot. Yet he had plenty of experience with sparklings, not seeing much of a difference from them and the organic sparkling in his hands.

"It could very well be!" the woman on the porch called over, joining in on the harmless teasing.

"Mom!"

"You might need to take care of it." Sarah sat back against her husband, grinning into his shoulder.

" _Mom!"_ The girl protested as she was moved, lifting up and flailed her arms as the mech huffed and then blew warm air over the girl with another growl, "It's me! Annabelle! He's gonna eat meeee!"

"Annabelle?" Will shifted to stretch out his legs and prop them up on the railing across from the swing bench they had settled on. "Annabelle... Do you know an Annabelle sweetie?"

Sarah shook her head, and then passed the question on. "No, do you Ironhide?"

"Never heard of the name," Ironhide rumbled, lightly catching one of the waving hands between his lips. He gave another grow, rumbling his engine in his chest. "I'm gonna eat this intruder. I'm hungry."

"Ironhide _no!"_ The girl laughed, pushing at the black mech's face with her free arm as the mech gave tiny mock nibbles, "Don't eat me- Dad! Save mee! I'm your daughter!"

"I have a daughter?" Will echoed before turning away and demanding to Sarah, "Did you know we have a daughter? When did that happen?"

"Eleven years ago dad!" The girl yelled back over, getting her hand free and then yipped as Ironhide poked out his glossa. The metal dry and smooth as he was quick enough to get a lick in, and then caught the other arm in the girl's next flail.

"I kinda of remember something happening, but not _that_ long ago." Sarah chuckled, glancing over to see the girl swatting at the mech's face.

They could all hear the dramatic sigh, " _Ten and half_ years ago!"

"Ooooh," Will pretended to think about that, "That seems more like something I think I know."

Sarah started to nod, "That does seem familiar. Wasn't that when you showed up Ironhide?"

"About then." Ironhide agreed, well able to talk without really moving his jaw unlike a human. He could not help the smirk that was around the little hand and forearm he caught. The mech keeping a careful hold on the child as she wiggled, both supporting and holding with his fingers. "I think ya had a newling at the time. What was its name?"

"Annabelle!"

"That's a good question… sweetie?" Will glanced to the side as another yell fallowed.

"Annabelle!"

"Something that might start with 'A,'" Sarah rubbed her chin as the Autobot rumbled an agreement and gave another mock nibble.

" _Annabelle!"_

"That's almost right..."

"Anna!" The girl finally yelled, her voice dissolving into laughter as she was poked in the side and the mech's thick energy field faired out with his own amusement at what had develop. "Ironhide's eating meeeee! Save mee!"

Sarah gave a dramatic snapping of her fingers, swinging her arm slightly with it, "That's it! We do have a daughter named Anna!"

"Riiiight," Will nodded and then perked up, "We do have a ten and half year old daughter name Anna. Have you seen her Ironhide?"

"No." Ironhide grinned now, catching both the girl's hands as he gave a more playful, or just lighter growling sound.

"Ironhiiiide! It's me Anna!" Annabelle protested, giggled and kicked at the hand holding her.

"I think that might be her. Maybe?" It was becoming harder for Lennox not to laugh outright now, "Maybe don't eat her."

"Well fine." Ironhide grunted, pulling the girl back to hold her up in an open hand, palm up and flat as he made a show of carefully looking over the human child. Poking a foot or side and getting giggled as Annabelle grabbed on large fingertip. "Hmm… ya might be right, this might be Anna."

"I was wondering where she went..."

"Mom!" Annabelle protested again as she turned to eye the house and then squeaked as she was pulled back. Dissolving into more pleased squeaking as Ironhide pressed a light kiss like motion over her shoulder and back before carefully putting his youngest charge up to his shoulder. Ironhide huffed, glancing to the side as he felt the girl scooting over to sit against his neck cables.

"So... no eating the human child?" the old mech asked after a good five minutes, once everyone had settled down again. Speaking mostly to the girl beside his head.

"You can't eat me," Annabelle said, reaching up to push at the side of the Autobot's jaw line above her. "You can't eat people Ironhide. And you shouldn't try to eat someone that's organic- it wouldn't work with your tank."

"Not unless I get a conversion tank." Ironhide gave a more neutral growl, the sound slowly turning into a low purring, it was as much sound as a vibration running through his frame and neck cables. In a way he knew the girl liked, and Ironhide smiled as he felt his smallest charge flopped around his neck in response.

"But you don't have one of those! You can _only_ have energon. That's what _Ratchet_ said." Annabelle pointed out, proud to remember this, wiggling once more but in the universal way of the young. Maybe to get comfortable, maybe to feel the vibrations on her back... or she was just restless from the activity that just happened and the excitement of what was about to happen.

"If Ratchet said so..."

"He _did_."

"I suppose I won't eat ya Anna," Ironhide finally agreed, his keen audios well able to pick up the sigh that came from the girl. He grinned once more as the mech added, "Not right now. Maybe later."

There was a perfect, if miniature echo of the exasperated sound that normally came from Will on base, and a slight growly tone at the end that was a clear influence from Ironhide himself. The mech reached up, his blunted fingertips gently running along over the girl before cupping over Annabelle. Pressing her against his neck as carefully as possible, as this was the closest thing to a hug that Ironhide could do in that position. Feeling small arms wrap around one digit not a few moments later.

Ironhide paused for just a few seconds, committing that feeling, this moment to his deepest memories. Possibly imprinting to his spark if the humans knew how that worked. Ironhide wanted to remember this if he survived the war after all- wanted to keep the feeling of tiny hands. The big mech was no fool, he knew he would outlive his chargers, know they would be safe in his protection. With how things were turning out, Ironhide had every intention on staying on this world and protecting the decedents of his charges.

Annabelle giggled as one massive finger tapped her head, as light as when her father did the same action. As in the way of the young, nerving holding still to cuddle when her current caretaker wanted her too, the girl was trying to get out from under the black and grey colored hand. "When is it going to start?"

The Autobot snorted, poking the girl once more before lowering his hand and glanced upwards at the sky. "Soon soft spark," He tilted his head to nudge the girl, purring again as Annabelle came back to lean on the side of Ironhide's face.

"I want to see the shooting stars," And not fall asleep beforehand, but climbing and just perching on the Autobot was helping to keep Annabelle wide awake. At least until she settled into Ironhide's field, the girl was starting to realize the big mech could knock her out like that and with some time. The girl turned her attention back to the mech's helm, standing up right, scooting to her left and reaching out again.

"They'll be coming soon," Will called from on the porch, dropping his legs as it finally became dark enough. Getting ready to move with his wife to the grass where they could watch the star lit sky, while being in arm's reach of the mech. Making Ironhide happy to have all his charges where he could watch over them easily.

The old mech tilted his head, letting Annabelle get a hold of the not just ornate silver disk on the side of his head. Ironhide gave the air to his right, not really near the human, a mock bite and growl to get another giggle before feeling soft fingers tracing his etchings there and then along his the 'upper cheek'. "Give it a few kliks, minutes, an' the Playful will show up when their ready."

"The Playful?" Annabelle asked, leaning forward to dare reach out and touch the warn edge of one of Ironhide's many scars. This was one that had been filed back in, though the alloy just slightly different in shade. The girl tilted her head up at the glow of the mech's optic, close enough to see the inner lens focusing on her. "What's that?"

The question kept Ironhide from dwelling on how he had gotten that scar, coving Ratchet while working. The advantage of having a sparkling around, even the human ones, because they demanded so much of one's attention and focus. Yet at the same time the mech realized that he had never mentioned this thing, Ironhide glancing past the girl at her parents that paused in gathering things to walk over to the grassy spot. "I didn't tell you about this old rust tale?"

"Nope," Will shook his head, balancing a dark bottle of human high grade, a wine that he and Sarah both favored, while extending his other arm to be loaded up with the thick blankets. "Don't think I've heard that from any of the others either."

"What is it?" Sarah asked, echoed almost in time by her daughter up on the mech.

Ironhide nudged the girl slightly as he shifted, giving a snort of warm air out of his vents. "It's an old rusty story, myths from long ago."

"From Cybertron?" Annabelle perked right up, using both hands to nudge the flex metal on Ironhide 'cheek' area. "Tell!" she was just as hungry for stories of the Autobots' former home world and all the stories from there, as she was when five years old. What the old mech just said and how he said it got all her attention.

The black and grey Autobot shook his head slightly, shuttering the optic nearer Annabelle, and caving far faster to her small demand they he ever would to anyone else. Will and Sarah made sure not to mention and pretend it did not happen, because of all things Ironhide was sure they like listening to stories from him too. "Alright, get up scraplet, it's about to start."

Annabelle squeaked before using a poking finger to help her climb up. Shameless in one of her favorite spots, it made the girl feel almost as big and strong as her guardian. At least feeling like she was so tall when aloud to sit on Ironhide's helm, one bare foot braced on one of the thick crests. Excitedly, Annabelle took a moment to look around the dark but not lightly sky, reflexively finding the patters her mother had taught her some constellations, and the few the mech had pointed out as well. When there were no streaks of lights right away she pushed at the black metal of the helm she was perched on.

The demand was clear, if amusing.

"Ya humans call them shooting stars," Ironhide tilted his head to the left, helping to keep his tiny charge from losing her balance, making it easier, "We call them The Playful, it's an old myth that the lights ya see..."

The Autobot lifted a hand, waving to the sky where the first streak of light flash. Likely able to use his scanners to help direct the girl's attention while the two adults settled close enough to hear easily as well, sitting snuggling under a blanket.

"They're sparks, according to the myth. Sparks that are almost back." Ironhide rumbled as he continued to speak, voice settling to a steady, if bemused tone. "Sparks of those that were too active in the Allspark, or Primus just couldn't help but let them go back into the moral world for a few kliks to play."

Annabelle had calmed down, safe and perched again as she listened intently, her eyes locked onto the meteorite display above.

The Autobot gave a thoughtful sound, and then grunted as he pointing at a streak of light that had a slight blue tint to it, even to human eyes. "I suppose it's a reassuring sight, seeing the 'sparks.' To some mecha the Playful are... checking in on ya? I think that's the right term."

He could almost feel how Ananbelle tilted her head as this new story, if short was absorbed, "Like auntie Mee-Mee? Would she be up there?"

Ironhide glanced at the two adults, remembering the older adult visiting and being more like a grandmother then aunt from what he understood. The pause only lasted a moment or two, and for nanosecond Ironhide nearly said he didn't know if humans had sparks…and then the nearly not there weight of the girl reminded him: _Sparkling_.

"Its possible soft spark," Ironhide aloud, hearing the happy sound above, and two sighs from the ground. He snorted again, "Ya're 'auntie' had enough sass to yell at me, only thinking I was a truck. She would be one of those that would become a Playful."

Annabella shifted and rested her head against the curve of the helm she was braced and clinging lightly too on the ridges. That was reassuring as she watched. "I like that."

"Me too," Will agreed, lifting the wine bottle of a salute of sorts up to the display that was picking up, spreading out in a widening path than expected. The man took a drink and offered the bottle to his wife, the two not sure if it was just because of the story, yet it seemed as if there were a few more colors that were glimpsed in the shower of light.

It took a few minutes before Ironhide shifted, giving an old cybertornian salute, lifting a closed fist to his spark. Then turn the motion into another, as if he was just reaching to poke the girl on his head. Ready to take her down after a bit to settle on his chest with a blanket like polishing cloth.

Ironhide would dare anyone to interrupt, or attempt to. Not even Prime could drag him away from this night. It was so rare to have light moments like these with a soft spark climbing on his frame once again.


End file.
